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Thursday, Dec. 22
6:15 a.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Hit and run.
6:43 a.m. 700 block of Belanger Street; Medical.
7:45 a.m. 700 block of Leona Street; Traffic incident.
8:12 a.m. 1000 block of Fourth Street; Animal complaint.
8:45 a.m. 100 block of First Street; 911 hang up.
8:56 a.m. La. 182/McDonalds; Road debris.
9:02 a.m. 3100 block of Wytchwood Drive; Animal complaint.
10:06 a.m. 700 block of Everett Street; Remove subject.
10:17 a.m. Fig Street/Veterans Boulevard; Traffic incident.
10:47 a.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Complaint.
1:20 p.m. U.S. 90 West/Bridge; Traffic incident.
1:37 p.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Complaint.
1:49 p.m. Filmore/ Myrtle streets; Complaint.
1:58 p.m. 8900 block of La. 182; Remove subject.
3:14 p.m. 250 block of Wren Street; 911 hang up.
3:32 p.m. U.S. 90 East/Boeuf Exit; Vehicle accident assist.
4:34 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Domestic.
5:21 p.m. Acorn/Fig streets; Disturbance.
5:38 p.m. Garber Street; Patrols.
7:15 p.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Building check.
7:16 p.m. 1100 block of Brashear Avenue; Suspicious activity.
7:18 p.m. Seventh/Ditch streets; Suspicious activity.
7:50 p.m. Victor II Boulevard/Kenneth Street; Suspicious activity.
9:02 p.m. 3000 block of Lizabeth Drive; Animal complaint.
9:07 p.m. Keith/Roderick streets; Suspicious activity.
9:13 p.m. Glenwood/Aycock streets; Loud music.
9:28 p.m. 700 block of General Hodges Street; Assistance.
9:32 p.m. U.S. 90 Eastbound; Reckless operation.
10:01 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
10:10 p.m. 700 block of Duke Street; Assistance.
10:25 p.m. La. 182/Ditch Avenue; Traffic complaint.
10:05 p.m. 1000 block of Ninth Street; Suspicious activity.
10:39 p.m. 400 block of Louisa Street; Building check.
11:42 p.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Animal complaint.
Friday, Dec. 23
1:11 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Missing child.
2:47 a.m. 1500 block of Victor II Boulevard; Suspicious activity.
3:22 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Suspicious activity.
4:02 a.m. 500 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.

The American Red Cross of Louisiana is continuing to work with partners to support Louisiana residents whose lives have been turned upside down by devastating tornadoes this month.

Nearly 40 trained Red Cross workers are currently supporting relief efforts. With the help of partners, the Red Cross has provided 4,800 meals and snacks, distributed nearly 1,500 relief items, such as clean-up kits, and conducted damage assessments of nearly 900 homes, as of Tuesday.

Red Cross caseworkers have opened 50 cases, serving more than 100 people with recovery support, including financial assistance and help with medical needs such as prescriptions. Teams have been providing aid across the state, focusing efforts in Caddo, Iberia, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Union parishes.

Louisiana Red Cross is actively recruiting volunteers who want to help in the ongoing response.

“At this time, the Red Cross has dozens of workers on the ground to help support ongoing recovery efforts from the Louisiana tornadoes, but more local help is needed,” said Shawn Schulze, regional CEO of Louisiana Red Cross. “After a disaster like this, people are always looking for ways to help their community recover, and becoming a Red Cross volunteer is one of the best ways to lend a hand.

Please consider signing up now to be a Red Cross volunteer to help in recovery efforts in your community.”

Currently, the Red Cross needs volunteers to fill the following roles, among many others:

--The Red Cross needs new volunteers to support Louisianans who are embarking on the process of recovery.

--The Red Cross needs new disaster caseworkers who will support the recovery of individuals affected by disaster.

Casework volunteers help clients apply for and receive financial assistance and other community resources. They assist the recovery of individuals, families and communities by providing referrals, advocacy, problem-solving and other assistance. They work in-person and virtually.

You can help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, flooding and other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

There will be many moving pieces that go into defining next year’s regular session, beginning with its close proximity to the fall statewide ballot.

Nothing colors a regular session like re-election time.

Lawmakers are always eager to swing for the fences while also taking care not to stir up fresh controversies just months before voters issue their job reviews.

The next state budget, which lawmakers will craft and send to the governor for approval, will also play an oversized role in defining the final regular session of the term, which convenes April 10.

The Revenue Estimating Conference, which is charged with determining how much money the state has to spend, recently identified an extra $925 million for the current budget year and $608 million in lagniappe for the next.

Lawmakers will have a hand in shaping the allocations for these dollars, but the Division of Administration will make recommendations to the Legislature in February.

(Teacher pay raises will likely make an appearance on this list.)

Money will ultimately be the hallmark of the 2023 regular session, especially since tax proposals and revenue-raising measures are allowed during odd-numbered years.

Members of the House, where most tax-related proposals must start, are already cooking up proposals to centralize sales tax collections, revamp the state sales tax structure and significantly reform income taxes.

This policy freedom to influence the state’s finances does come with some limitations. During odd-numbered years, lawmakers can only file five non-fiscal, general subject matter bills.

That means senators and representatives will have to be selective when it comes to non-fiscal bills.

What will make the cut?

Requests from local officials back home?

Ideas from corporate donors? Bill templates from supportive associations?

To be sure, insurance issues will be on the agenda in a real way.

Hurricanes, floods and tornadoes have left our neighbors homeless over the last few years as they continue to fight with adjusters and attorneys.

Insurers, for their part, are fleeing the state and refusing to write policies here. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon has repeatedly referred to the situation as a “crisis” and has asked for a special session of the Legislature to address the problem.

Donelon wants the Legislature to identify about $45 million to incentivize property insurance companies to write in Louisiana again.

So far neither the governor nor the legislative leadership are warming to the idea, not with the regular session right around the proverbial corner.

Still, some lawmakers are worried about the timing. “We cannot wait until the regular session,” said Senate Insurance Chair Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, “because over 80,000 people who have Citizens
Insurance will renew in January, and they will have to wait a year until we can get them out and with a private insurer who will charge a cheaper premium than Citizens.”
(Citizens is the state-operated insurer of last resort.)

It’s likely difficult for those who haven’t been impacted to understand the long road to recovery.

For example, Jim Henderson, president of the University of Louisiana System, said a sizable portion of his session agenda next year will involve “stabilizing member institutions that serve communities still recovering from major hurricanes."

As for other insurance topics, Talbot said, “I anticipate a flurry of insurance related legislation to be filed this session.
"Although we passed a half dozen or so pro-consumer bills, I am sure we will see a lot of bills relating to consumers. We will also see a number of bills dealing with cancer treatment and other health insurance matters.”

There will also be other bills involving power deregulation, gun rights, abortion exceptions and a bevy of other issues ranging from quiet to loud.

In a recent interview, consultant Gordon Reese, vice president of Mandeville-based Innovative Politics, suggested the bills that actually get moved will probably be more on the quiet side.

(Probably.)

“In the current polarized political climate, with the election looming, you can rest assured there will still be plenty of legislation that grabs attention,” said Reese.

“But I would be surprised if the most controversial issues make it through both chambers in this upcoming session, as the body and its leaders are typically less willing to lean on members in an election year to make any vote that could be considered risky to their political future.”

For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @ LaPoliticsNow

BAYOU VISTA — On the parking lot at Claire House, a volunteer with a captain’s rank was doing Santa’s work Thursday. Santa’s helpers wore badges.

The presents came not from a sleigh, but from a state police SUV: A make-up kit for a 12-year-old girl. A football and a closet-door basketball goal for a 10-year-old boy. Stuffed animals and various noise-makers for babies still in arms. Rubik’s Cubes for everybody.

“You want that (toy) guitar to go to a 3-year-old girl?” one of the helpers asks.

“She’ll love that guitar,” says another.

Meanwhile, the stacks of toys on the parking lot, sorted by the recipient’s age, grow taller.

Many kids away from home on Christmas worry that Santa won’t find them. But Louisiana State Police officers from Troop C in Houma and Troop I in Lafayette found the half-dozen youngsters at Claire House just fine.

The children were away from home three days before Christmas because their mothers were participating in the Claire House residential substance abuse program.

Claire House, next door to Fairview Treatment Center, accepts women 18 and over with up to four children, said Carla Pellerin, program manager.

While the mothers are working through their substance abuse problems, Pellerin said, they get help with finding a place to live and moving back into the workforce.

“They work on regaining their independence,” Pellerin said.

About half are involved in some sort of child custody proceeding.

The kids live with them while they’re at Claire House, which can make for a difficult Christmas. Enter the troopers.

The toys distributed Thursday were collected through the state police Fill A Cruiser program, said Capt. Lanny Bergeron of Troop C.

There were public donation points, and private sponsors and some money from the Louisiana State Police Troopers Association helped. Troopers also bought toys for Fill A Cruiser, Bergeron said.

“They do this because they care,” Bergeron told the kids before the toys were distributed. “And the community — they care.”

The Troop C troopers who sorted and handed out gifts were Bergeron, Lt. Dustin Richard, Lt. Kevin Resweber, Lt. Troy Landry, Trooper Ross Brennan and Lt. Josh Vanetta. Representing Troop I was Trooper Brodrick Griffin.